HAVERI: With criticism during election campaigns getting too personal, former CM Basavaraj Bommai on Tuesday lashed out at Chief Minister Siddaramaiah for targeting former PM HD Deve Gowda, and said there is no leader of Gowda’s stature who can advise him.
On Monday, Siddaramiah had charged at Gowda for advising him not to denigrate the chair of the prime minister by unnecessarily criticising PM Narendra Modi, and said “In a federal democracy, the prime minister is not an autocrat, and nor is the chief minister a mere subordinate”. Siddaramaiah also advised Gowda to mend his ways and speak against the Union government on the injustice inflicted on Kannadigas.
Reacting to this remark, Bommai told reporters on Tuesday, “Siddaramaiah is not such a big leader to advise former PM Deve Gowda. There is no leader who can give suggestions to Gowda, who has political experience of over six decades.”
Taking serious exception to Congress workers disturbing Gowda while delivering a speech, Bommai said the people of Karnataka would not tolerate rowdyism in politics and condemned the chaos created by women Congress workers at a meeting in Tumakuru.
“Freedom of expression is allowed in a democracy but it is highly condemnable that disturbances were created in the NDA campaign meeting, which amounted to disrespect to Kannadigas and the former prime minister. Creating disturbance is not the culture of Kannadigas, people are watching everything,” Bommai said.
On JDS president H D Kumaraswamy’s alleged controversial remark on women, Bommai said Kumaraswamy had already clarified his statement. “AICC general secretary Randeep Surjewala had recently made adverse comments on women, let the Congress issue a clarification. Atrocities against women have increased during the Congress regime,” he charged.
Later, holding a series of meetings, Bommai said increased investments during the Modi government were due to better law and order situation in the country. He also counted a slew of pro-people schemes and policies implemented by the Union government.